11th Relay for Life is Friday

Published 7:00 pm, Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Herald Editor

With the emotional survivors' lap and moving luminaria ceremony, Relay For Life events have always been good about celebrating and remembering.

This year, they're fighting back, too.

Following a national theme of "Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back," a special ceremony will be held at midnight when Hale County's 11th annual Relay For Life - a fund-raiser for the American Cancer Society - is held Friday evening at the Wayland Bowl on the WBU campus.

"The fight back ceremony will encourage people to make a pledge to do something during the coming year to help fight cancer," said Jim Tirey, who along with wife Brandy is chairing this year's event. "In addition to walking at Relay and raising money, we will be asking people to do get a mammogram or a colonoscopy, encourage a loved one to quit smoking" or actively do something else to help battle cancer.

The fight back ceremony is one of the last events planned for the evening, which kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday and ends at 1 a.m. Saturday.

For the past several months, Relay teams have been busy raising money by sponsoring bake sales, car washes, raffles and many other benefit events.

On Friday, it's time to celebrate all that hard work as teams take to the track for a seven-hour walk for cancer (for a complete list of activities, see ad on Page 9.)

Opening ceremonies at 6 will be followed immediately by the survivors lap and caregivers lap.

The luminaria ceremony, when the lights at the track are turned off and those affected by cancer are remembered, will be held at 11 p.m. Luminaries to remember and/or honor those affected by cancer are available for $5 each or three for $10 by calling Laura Spencer at 292-4562 or Brandy Tirey at 729-9172. Sales will be conducted at Relay as well.

Closing ceremonies are at 1 a.m. when special door prizes will be awarded to people who have stayed at Relay the entire seven hours.

In between opening and closing ceremonies, there will be lots of music, games, food . . . and walking.

Live entertainment will be provided most of the evening, along with DJ music.

Lots of kids activities - from crafts to a carnival - are on tap from 6:30-10 p.m. with team activities - including a frozen T-shirt contest, obstacle course and scavenger hunt - planned throughout the night.

Brisket plates will be available starting at 6 p.m. for $8 a plate, and whole, smoked briskets will be sold. Pre-order by calling Jennifer Marley at 518-0397.

Also, some teams will be selling concessions from tent sites around the track.

Relay For Life has been a part of the Tireys' lives for the past seven years, and cancer for just as long.

"Brandy's grandmother passed away in 2000 from thyroid cancer" that doctors found after she fell and broke her hip, Jim explained. While she was being treated, Brandy's father was diagnosed with lymphoma.

"He's been cancer free for several years," said Jim.

In addition, Brandy's grandfather was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and Jim's grandmother, Ora Mary Sims of Tulia, contracted breast cancer several years ago.

Jim and Brandy's involvement with Relay has evolved from Brandy being a member of the team at La Mesa Elementary to the couple overseeing overseeing the luminaria committee to taking on the entire event.

They invite all of Hale County out Friday to "Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back."